The mild Bangalore winter and December, is one of our favourite times of year in the garden. Red white and green seem to be the predominant colours of Christmas and they are echoed with the two most popular varieties of Poinsettia that make their presence felt at this time of the year.
This is when the miniature white poinsettia (Euphorbia leucocephala) or Mexican poinsettia, blooms minus any leaves on the plant and soon the entire plant turns snow white with tiny flowers. In fact, if the tree is tall, the whole tree becomes a great, white mass of frothy blooms, living up to its other name — snow on the mountain.
Nature lover and noted chef Samir Tuli says, “In the peak of winter, when cold and harsh conditions are the norm, the universe still has some tricks up its sleeve to make it all worthwhile and wonderful. It brings us these colourful flowers of the season, which burst forth with the energy of life’s circle, putting a smile on our faces, and revving up the spirit of the season.”
The red poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima) is indigenous to Mexico and Central America. It is particularly well-known for its red and green foliage and is widely used during the Christmas season. According to the net, it derives its English name from Joel Roberts Poinsett, the first minister to Mexico from the US, who later introduced the plant into the United States way back in 1825.
Avid gardener Gloria Rozario says she “loves the poinsettia, the Christmas Eve flower of the Aztecs,” and Karin Chawla says, “Nature echoes the jewel tones of the season in abundance!”
The plant’s association with Christmas began in 16th-century Mexico, where legend tells of a girl, named Pepita, who was too poor to buy a gift. So, an angel prompted her to gather flowering weeds from the roadside and place them in front of the church altar.
Lawyer Madhusmita Kondepudi who lives in Marathahalli says, “Red Poinsettias bring back memories of my childhood and the most fascinating thing about them was their coloured leaves. I came across the miniature white poinsettia bushes, which grow as beautiful white orbs if pruned well before they flower. Since the past few years the small red poinsettia plants are available just as winter is setting in and I make it a point to get at least one pot to brighten up my balcony.”
You can also get orange, pale green, cream, pink, white, or marbled varieties. An interesting scientific fact to note is the colours of the bracts are created through photoperiodism, so they require darkness for12 hours at a time for at least five days in a row to change colour. At the same time, the plants require abundant light during the day for the brightest colour.
